Railway with sliding trains.



PATBNTED SEPT. 19, 1905.

U. THERYG.

RAILWAY WITH SLIDING TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6,1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

M ma

No. 799,950. PATENTED SEPT. 19, 1905. 0. THBRYG.

RAILWAY WITH SLIDING TRAINS.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 6,1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No- 799,950. PATENTED SEPT. 19, 190-5. C. THERYG. RAILWAY WITH SLIDING TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6,1905.

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ATTURNEYS No- 799,950. PATBNTED SEPT. 19, 190-5.

C. THERYG.

RAILWAY WITH SLIDING TRAINS APPLICATION FILED JULY 6,1905- 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

v EIY v 1 CHARLES THERYG, OF MARSE ILLES, FRANCE.

RAILWAY WITH SLIDING TRAINS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1905.

Application filed July 6, 1905. Serial No- 268,509.

To (I/ZZ 1072 0771, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES THERYO, a citizen of the Republic of France, and a resident of Marseilles, France, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railways with Sliding Trains, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification.

At the Paris exhibition of 1889 a working model of a railway constructed by Messrs. Girard andBa-rre, engineers, was exhibited. This model had vehicles moving on slippers raised by water-pressure and propelled hydraulically. The failure of that construction appears to have been due not only to the impractical method of propulsion, but also to the excessive consumption of water by the slippers, which amounted to 3.600 liters per hour per ton of the train raised.

This invention has for its object to carry out in a practical manner the sliding of a train drawn or propelled by electric or other locomotives, and, further, first, to reduce to a very small amount the supply and the loss of water due to sliding by means of a new form of double slipper with balanced and compensated pressure; second, to insure in an absolute manner the stability of the vehicles by means of a guiding device with hydraulic sliding, whereby the previous dangers due to high speed are avoided; third, to apply this process to existing railway-lines, so as to combine the sliding system with the existing Y method of trafiic and to permit gradual transformation of the (rolling) stock and of the system generally without interfering with the existing service.

Figure 1 is a cross-section through the vertical axis of a double slipper or slide according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the vertical axis A B of the same double slipper. Fig. 3 shows the track or platform on which the vehicles and their guiding devices slide. Figs. 4 and 5 show the passages of the new track over existing crossings. Fig. 6 shows the joints between each section of the platform. Figs. 7 8, and

9 show diagrammatically modified constructions of the track or platform.

The main feature of this new construction consists in a double slipper acting under balanced and compensated differential pressure, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It consists of an inner slipper a similar to that of Girard and Barre, with grooves f in its flanges p, which are arranged like bafide-plates for the purof friction on the pipes 0.

pose of slackening the speed of the discharge of the water. In the spherical surface 0 of the step-bearing it rests the rod t, which supports the vehicle. Over this inner slipper is arranged an outer slipper. I), the shape of which is the same as that of the first slipper. It is secured to a cylinder Z2, which can slide with a certain amount of friction on the cylindrical portion a of the inner slipper and is provided at m with a stuffing-box to prevent any leakage of water. In view of the small relative movement of these two cylinders which need be produced and which is merely a fraction of a millimeter a rubber or similar ring ought to be suificient as a stuffing-box. Through the counter-slipper pass two water-inlet pipes c, passing through two cylinders I), provided with stufiing-boxes n, the cylinders sliding with a certain amount These pipes thus afford supplementary guiding for the purpose of maintaining for the two slippers the same axis during their divergent movement. 'Water is supplied under pressure to the interior of the slipper a through the tubes 0, connected by a hose-pipe to a collector which passes under all the vehicles and terminates at the engine, Where a compressor forces the water under the slippers of all the vehicles. From each hosepipe of the pipes c is branched off another small hose-pipe, connected to a pipe 6 in such manner as to supply to the circular chamber (1 water under the same pressure as in the slipper a.

In order to show the advantages of the new double slipper, the following explanations are necessary. Preliminary experiments, approximately confirmed by the working of the small sliding railway at the 1889 exhibition, have proved thatthe'Girard-Barre slipper, having an area of four hundred and forty by two hundred millimeters (nine hundred and sixty-eight square centimeters) and raisingthe weight of ten hundred and sixty kilograms, including the weight of the slipper, to the extent of 0.75 millimeters discharged or lost 0.963 liters of water per second. As the slipper worked under a constant pressure of 1.8 kilograms, it followed that the surface which acted in an effective manner was not nine hundred and sixty-eight, but only five hundred and eighty eight square centimeters, which corresponds to 1060: 1.8:588. This proved that the real perimeter of discharge was three hundred and seventy-eight by one hundred and fifty-eight millimeters, which perimeter, multiplied by 0.75 millimeters of thus giving a coefiicient of contraction equal to 0.0637. It follows, therefore, from these experimental and practical data that the wa ter acting under the slipperwith a constant pressure of 1.8 kilograms escaped therefrom with a pressure reduced to 1.8 by 0.0637

thatis to say, to 0.115 kilograms-equivalent to a water-column of 1.15 meters.

In the improved construction the counterslipper 6 being strongly appliedagainst the platform under a pressure of 1.8 kilograms exercised on the circular groove (Z, water-could freely rise to the extent'of 1.15metersthrough the tube 71, provided with a hose-pipe, into a tank, whence it would be withdrawn by the compression-pump. The loss-of water would thus be very small; but this method would have the great drawback of quickly wea'ring'.outthe slipper-plates s s,of altering the platform, and of producing a perceptible resistance which would have to be overcome. The working of the double slipper obviates these drawbacks; In fact,' i'f by means of the sluice-valvey' the cross-sectiorilof flow is throttled to a greater or lesser-"extent the pressure'in the interval or space"? between the two slippers can be-increased as desired. Under that resistance the slipper a will have the tendency to rise above its normal height'of 0.75 millimeters until the counter-slipper b rises in its turn in order to provide passage for a quantity of water which will be regulated at will to a layer or film just sufficient for doing away with the contact between thebounter-slippei and the platform; but the loss of water, which would be small even with a free. discharge under a pressure lower than 1.8, will be reduced toa still more considerable extent by the contraction coefficient 0. 0637 by arranging on the'under side of the flange p a network of grooves 9 equal to or greater than the grooves f in the slipper a.

It will be seen that the differential pressures between the two slippers could be-regulated in a moment in such a manner as to balance and compensate them.

Sliding track and hydraulic guidiag.The track is constituted by a platform 1, Fig. 3, forming a central plate 3, and twoinclined slides 1, supported by one or more brackets 2, resting on the sleepers or on the brickwork to which the platform is bolted. Each vehicle slides on the platform 3 by means of wide double slippers 5. On the inclined sides 4 rest small slippers 6 of the same construction, arranged at the end of arms 8, connected to" the framing of the vehicle. Between each small slipper and the arm is arranged a cylinder 7, in which moves a piston secured to the slipper, the said piston being compressed by a spring, so that the slipper can come into a lower position on the inclined side while remaining at right angles to it, the spring 9 being deflected. A rigid frame could, however, be usedby transferring the springs supporting the vehicle above the frame. Such springs could be helical or other springs and would be amply sufficient for the suppression of irregular movements. All deviation becomes absolutely impossible with this method of hydraulic guidance, the resistance of which-and the expenditure of water by which are almost negligible.

Thenewtrack can pass over crossings 11, Fig. him a very simple manner by means of drawbridges 13.- In order to simplify the drawing,a crossing atright angles has been shown; but it will be understood that the same arrangement'applies to crossings at other angles. The plates 13,.lowered by means of'leversby the pointsman before the arrival of the sliding'train, are-raised by him after its passage, so as .to uncover the existingrails 11. The plates 13 could notbe pivoted'on hinges, as that'would form a'projection which must be avoided. Consequently these plates are provided with a metal circle 14:, forming a guide and leaving free an arc of three hundred degrees; When the plate is folded backward, the circle remains engaged tothe extentof one hundred and twentydegrees with-a groove 15 of the same radius in the platform 3 and provided with rollers 16, which hold the circle in thezposition of rest and insure its movingw-ithout deviation during the rotation ofthe bridge 13. The two grooves 15 being made near the angles of the platform 3 do not interfere in anyway'with the passage-of the large slippers.- The same arrangement is used for the small-drawbridges or flaps for the inclined sides. In this way absolutely tight joints are obtained by placing bands of r-nbber, leather, or even-of wood or any other slightly'elastic'materialon the inclined faces of the platform, which are to be'provided with flaps, which bands deaden the shockwhen they fold back.

his also importantto insure tight joints in thespaeesprovided between each section of platform for metallic expansion. To that end each section is provided at its two ends with a'groove 18, Fig. 6, into which are introduced with a certain amount of friction bars 17, having the shape of an'inverted'T and made of, say, resinous wood and of the size to suit the grooves. Two or three sets of these bars with-different thickness of web will have to be kept in stock, so as to change them according to the season. The line superintendent, by means of a plane secured to the end of a handle, would shave off fromtime to time the asperities or roughness that would appear owing to the compression or crushing of the wood, due to the expansion of the metal. In this way a thoroughly tight joint would be obtained.

The small guiding-slippers could be done away with by arranging the track with inclined or beveled sides and the supportingslippers, as shown in diagrams in Figs; 7, 8, 9, for the purpose of effecting guidance only by means of the supporting-slippers. Fig. 7 shows a track identical with that already described, with a double supporting-slipper projecting over the beveled sides. Fig. 8 shows a track with two inclined surfaces diverging from the center to the ends of the platform, on which slide two supporting-slippers of smaller width than the preceding one. Fig.

-9 shows two inclined surfaces converging downward from the ends to the center of the platform, on which slide slippers similar to the preceding ones, the even slippers sliding on one of the sides and the odd ones on the other. This construction would have the advantage of enabling the taking of water to be effected quite naturally without stopping, in accordance with Ramsbottoms system used in England and in America. At the level portions of the track a canal or trough could be arranged to which the water required. both for the steam-locomotives and for the slippers could be supplied. Finally, for certain 7 special lines-namely, for those intended for the movement of large weightsthe number of tracks and platforms could be multiplied and arranged in parallel.

For the sliding track a double-T girder of large size can be employed, the upper flange of which would be bent at the two ends so as to form inclined sides arranged at a greater or lesser angle, or it could be constituted by means of two double-T girders of smaller dimensions, each double T having its outside flange bent down to form an inclined side and the space between the two T-girders being filled with asphalt, cement, or any other suitable material flattened and exactly level with the height of the two T-irons.

Application to the misting rolling-stock. Period of trcmsz'tz'0n.'lhe sliding platform in the center of existing railway-lines could be arranged very quickly without interfering with the ordinary working and would be soon in the position to be used for very fast trains with a new rolling-stock on sliding slippers; but during the transition period the old stock could be immediately utilized and arranged so as to take advantage of the many superior points of the sliding system. While retaining the wheels of the existing vehicles double slippers would be arranged under their frame. On each supporting-rod t would be arranged a screwor hydraulic jack'enabling the car to be raised and the load carried by the axles and by the wheels ing system constitutes in itself the simplest,

the strongest, and the quickest method of braking that it is possible to imagine, this braking being done by vclosing the tap admitting water to all the slippers, and thus stopping hydraulic sliding and substituting for it a friction-grip between large surfaces.

Wear will be very small, for during the working of the small railway in 1889 it was proved that after about four thousand stoppages of that kind corresponding to twelve hundred kilometers traveled only a grinding action was noticed without any particular signs of wear. Besides, after acertain amount of wear it will be simply suflicient to replace the plates 8 and s of the slippers. tem of stopping and braking solves the problem of braking long trains, more particularly goods-trains, to solve which many unsuccessful attempts have been made. This is not the least advantage of the new practical sliding system according to this invention.

It will be seen from the above explanations that the advantages of the new system are as follows: An enormous reduction of the coefficient of resistance and of the expense in traction by the suppression of the important factor, shocks and irregular movements, which is the cause of so many accidents and expense in the building and working of railways; great speed limited only by the power of the tractors and rendered safe by exceptional safety measures; absence of all shocks, vibration, noise, and smoke; application to existing lines and stock, doubling or trebling their efficiency as regards the carriage of useful weight; ideal and natural braking applicable to the longest trains.

I claim 1. In a railway sliding system a sliding track in combination with double slippers on the vehicle with means for insuring differential balanced and compensated pressures substantially as set forth.

2. In a railway sliding system a sliding track doubleslippers on the vehicle in combination with lateral springcontrolled slippers, substantially as set forth.

3. In a railway sliding system a double slipper comprising an inner slipper with inward flanges an outer slipper with outward flanges and water-inlets to the interior of the inner slipper and the space between the two slippers substantially as set forth.

This sys- 4. In a railway sliding system-a double slipper comprising an inner slipper with inward flanges, an outer slipper with outward-flanges, grooves g in the under sides of the flanges and water-inlets to the interior of the inner slipper and-the space between the two slippers substantially as set forth.

5. Ina railway sliding system a double slipper comprising an inner slipper with inward flanges, an outer slipper with outward flanges, water-inlets to the interior of the inner slipper'and the space between the two slippers,

stufling-boxes between the central projection of the inner slipper and between the inlettubes thereof and the outer slipper, and a central chamber (Z in communication with the inouter slipper substantially as set forth.

7. In a railway sliding system a sliding double slipper with inclined outer-edges in combination with a correspondingly-formed platform-track substantially as set forth.

8. In a railway sliding system a platformtrack with inclined slipper-surfaces meeting at the center in combination'with correspondingly-inclined double slippers substantially as set forth.

9. In a railway sliding system a sliding double slipper with inclined outer edges in combination with a correspondingly-formed platform-track and folding crossing flaps 13, 14, 15, 16, substantially as set forth.

10. In a railwaysliding system a double slipper comprising a slipper a, inwardly-extending grooved flanges s thereon, a central recess a in said slipper, an outer slipper b, outwardly-extending grooved flanges p therein and an annular chamber cl in the outer slipper around the central recess of the inner slipper substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES THERYO.

Witnesses EMILE LEDRET, H. 0. 00x13. 

